A KOSOVAN teenager who fled to Wales from his war-torn country has been given leave to appeal against a decision to deport him.

A KOSOVAN teenager who fled to Wales from his war-torn country has been given leave to appeal against a decision to deport him.

Edmond Pone was found, aged 14, in the back of a lorry in Tredegar in 1999, after having been sent to safety by his parents.

He was fostered by couple Steve Crandon and Julia Gregg in Ebbw Vale and over the past four years learnt English, became actively involved in the local church and is currently in the middle of a construction course at the town's college.

Following an Immigration Appellate Authority hearing in June at Pentonville Magistrates Court in Newport to assess 19-year-old Edmond's situation, the family received notice that he would have to return to Kosovo, despite having no family left there and being afraid that as a Kosovan Albanian he may be subject to attack by Serbs.

But the family refused to give up and applied for leave to appeal to the IAA tribunal on the basis of various points made in the decision which they felt were incorrect or unfair, including the lack of weight they believe the adjudicator put on the family and community ties that Edmond, who now lives in Blaina, has built up in this country.

On Monday they received a letter from the IAA confirming they have been granted leave to make the appeal.

Former foster motherMs Gregg said, "The judgement says that there are

two points we can appealon - the relationship thathas built up between Edmond and ourselves, and also Article 8 of the Human Rights Act,

the right to a private life, which Edmond has in this country.

"The next step is to go to the tribunal, which will probably be in London, although there is no time scale given for that hearing - it may be a year before it happens.

"I can't tell you how happy we are, it's just amazing and we are so grateful to be given this chance.

"We are optimistic about Edmond's chances of remaining in the country which is now his home."

Edmond's case has been supported by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams.

The former Archbishop of Wales met the family while he was Bishop of Monmouth and has offered to do all he can to help in the campaign to let Edmond stay in the UK.

Edmond said yesterday, "I'm so pleased, I was just hoping that the right to appeal would come through.

"The hearing may not be for six months or a year but that gives us time to prepare our case.

"I would like to say, from the bottom of my heart, thank you very much to everyone who has supported me.

"Without the help of the community and my British family I would not have been able to get this far."

Mr Crandon added, "We were confident we would get the leave to appeal, we are relieved it has happened, now we have to keep hoping and fighting until Edmond is allowed to stay for good."

Fellow Kosovan Krenar Lleshi was also found in the lorry with Edmond in 1999, and fostered by the couple.